Sapogenin derivatives and preparation of same



Patented July 4, 1944 OFFICE SAPOGENIN DERIVATIVES AND PREPARATION OF SAME- Bussell Earl Marker and Harry Means Crooks, Jr.,

- State College, Pa, and Eugene Leroy Wittle,

Detroit, Mich assignors to Parke, Davis & Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan No Drawing. Application May 15,1941, Serial No. 393,666

. I 20 Claims. In the copending application Ser. No. 393,667,

filed May 15, 1941, of Russell Earl Marker it is shown that steroidal sapogenins maybe isomerized, for example, by treatment with acetic anhydride for six to fifteen hours at about 200 C., to

(or, zet -21o) form a new class of sapogenin derivatives designated as pseudo-sapogenins.

The pseudo-sapogenins are characterized by the fact that they contain a new type 01 side chain which undergoes distinctive reactions. Thus the pseudo-sapogenins are unsaturated to bromine and therefore readily decolorize'a solution 'of bromine in acetic acid. On treatment with acids, for example, with alcoholic hydrochloric acid, the pseudo-sapogenins are isomerized to the corresponding steroidal sapogenins. The side chainof the. pseudo-sapogenins contains a reactive hydroxyl group which-may be acylated, for example; acetylated.

The pseudo-sapogenins can be hydrogenated, as set forth in the copending application (Serial No. 382,450, filed March 8, 1941) of Russell Earl Market, to give another new class of compounds which may be designated as exo-dihydro-pseudo sapogenins. In contrast to the pseudo-sapogenins, the exo-dihydro-pseudo sapogenins are not afl'ected by alcoholic hydrochloricacid. Like the pseudo-sapogenins, however, the exo-dihydropseudo-sapogenins show unsaturation to bromine in acetic aci and contain in the side chain a reactive hydroxyl group which may be acylated,

ior example, acetylated."

It is believed that the properties ,of pseudosapogenins are best explained if the side chain attached to ring D of the cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus be represented by one of the following partial formulae:

CH; 1 v i I om. i

hwnacnremabn III Of these formulae, II and III best explain the formation of the exo-dihydro-pseudo-sapogenins,

and III seems to account best for the transformations described in the present invention.

, It is believed that the properties of; the exodihydro-pseudo-sapogenins are best explained if; e

the side chain attached to theJring D of the cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus be represented by one of the following formulae:

CH: v v Cg;-

H-CHCH:CHII--CKQ6H 01 these formulae, V seems to account best for the transformations described in the present invention.

It will be observed that the partial formulae, 1, II, III, IV, and V all contain a. reactive 1wdroxyl group. This hydroxyl group may be acylated to yield compounds which may then be designated as exo-acylates. I

In the case or both the terms exo-acylate and exo-dihydro-pseudo-sapogenin, the prefix exo has the same significance that it does inother branches of organic chemistry. namely, that the particular, function involved is exterior to a ring system and in a position not known with greater certainty.

The present inventors have discovered that when the exo-acylates of either the pseudosapogenins or their exo-dihydro derivatives are oxidized under mild conditions, for example, at 20-35" 0., there are obtained a new class of esters having in general the same number of carbon atoms as the pseudo-sapogenin derivatives from ch they are derived. These new esters are tanned in extremely high yields.

The new esters of the present invention are characterized by unique structural features in D; so that these esters appear to be representable by the following partial structural formula:

and these esters may therefore bedesignated as fiiil keto-lfi-(ii-acyloiwisocaprodxy) p r e g n a n e compounds.

The present inventors have also discovered that these new esters are readily hydrolyzed by treatments with acidic or alkaline agents, thereby yielding A -20-keto-pregnene compounds representable by the following partial structural formula:

VII

Eonsequently, another feature of the Present invention comprises subjecting the 20-keto16 (t-acyloxyisocaprofixy) -pregnane compounds to a definite hydrolytic step, for example, by treatwent with acidic or alkaline reagents, thereby forming A -20-keto-pregnene c o m p o u n d s smoothly and in high yields.

According to another feature of the present invention, the pseudo-sapogenins or their ring A and/or B glycosidic derivatives are prepared by reacting glycosidic derivatives of the sapogenins with acidic agents, for example, acylating agents such as acid anhydrides, under conditions more vigorous than those required merely for acylation.

By glycosidic derivatives of the sapogenins we means sapogenin derivatives in which sugar residues are attached through a hemi-acetal linkage to the cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus. In general, the exact nature of the structures of these substances are not known with certainty. The following formulae illustrate various VIII. Sarsasaponin CH UH -CH,

CH-CHI I 1 O-CH| (BHQOH IX. Trillarin CH: (3H CH|CH1 CHCH| x. Trillin Generally speaking the glycosides oi. the steroidal sapongenins may be classified as (1) saponins; (2) simpler glycosides. The former usually contain from three to six sugar units, all of which may be the same, or they may be (111-, ferent. The most commonly occurring sugar units are those of glucose, galactose, rhamnose and xylose. The simpler glycosides differ from the sapomns in that (1) they contain fewer;

, i. e., one to three, sugar units; (2) they are more I readily obtained crystalline; (3) they do, not show marked capillary active properties In most cases, including the compounds represented by VIII, IX, and'X, the exact nature of the glycosidic linkages isnot definitely known; that is, it is not known whether the sugars have a furanose or pyranose structure, nor which carbon atoms of the different sugar units are (through oxygen) united. In many cases even the number and kind of sugar units present are not known. t

See further, Fieser, "Chemistry of Natural Products Related to Phenanthrene," 2nd ed., p.

333 if. (Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New

York city, 1937.)

Since the steroidal sapogenins occur in nature.

not in the free form, but-combined with sugar.

units as glycosidic derivatives, the present invention makes it unnecessaryto isolate the sapog- I enins. Instead, their more readily available glycosides may be converteddirectly to pseudosapogenin derivatives. This elimination of a formerly essential step results in higher yields 0 steroidal hormones from plant sources.

In apreferred form of this invention we pre I pare steroidal intermediates by oxidizingpseudodiosgenin diacylates with chromic anhydride in acetic acid at 20-35 C., separating the ZO-keto'.

, or less of hot alcohol.

- fifteen minutes.

.bath for one hour, the

l6(fi-acyloxyiso-caproiixyl) -pregnane compound thus formed and subjecting the latter to a definite hydrolysis thereby obtaining A -pregnadienol-3-p-one-20.

Surprisingly, in the above oxidation of the pseudo-diosgenin diacylate it is not necessary to protect the A double bond. In the past where unsaturated compounds, for' example, those having A double bonds, have been oxidized it has always been necessary to protect the double bond prior to oxidation as for example by adding halogen or hydrohalic acid to the double bond.

Our inventionmay be more fully illustrated by the following examples.

Y Example 1 (a) The saponins of Trillium erectum or from Dioscorea, oillosa may be'isolated in the following manner.

The powdered rhizomes are allowed to stand for two days with suflicient alcohol to form a thin cream. This usually requires about 3 parts of alcohol per 1 part of powdered rhizome. After most of the alcohol-soluble material has been leached out in this manner, the cream is filtered and the filter cake washed well with alcohol. The alcohol solution is concentrated to a syrup and the syrup dissolved in about an equal weight After the solution has cooled, several volumes of ether or petroleum ether are added to cause precipitation of the crude glycoside and to dissolve the fat.' The clear solution is decanted from the gummy precipitate and the latter then dissolved, in alcohol and a warm alcoholic solution of a sterol such as cholesterol or sitosterol is added. After standing overnight most of the saponin has been precipitated in the form of a sterol adduct. This is collected and wa'shedwith a small amount. of alcohol. After this addition compound has been air dried, it is dissolved in about'2 volumes of pyridine by warming on the steam bath for about After solution is complete about 5-10 volumes of ether is added, causing precipitation of the free saponin. This is filtered and washed with ether. It may be purified by dissolving it in alcohol or water and adding ether to reprecipitate the purified s'aponin. As thus obtained it is a white micro-crystalline powder fairly soluble in alcohol and water-but insoluble in ether and petroleum ether. With sterols having a 3-(c)-hydroxyl group it forms insoluble adducts.

One hundred and fifty grams of thesaponin from Trillium erectu-m is acetylated in thefollowing fashion. The sponin is dissolved in 5 volumes of pyridine, and 4 volumes of acetic anhydride added. After heating on the steam ether and the ethereal solution washed with water to remove pyridine and acetic acid. The

ethereal layer is evaporated to .leave a gummy residual acetate which after standing a few days and rubbing with a glass rod crystallizes, This product may be recrystallized from organic solvent and then has the melting point of about 146 C.

(1)) One hundred and fifty grams of the above acetylated saponin is dissolved in 100 cc. of acetic anhydride and heated in a bomb tube or autoclave at 200 C. for ten hours. Then the acetic anhydride is removed under reduced pressure.

This residue isthe acetate of Trillium erectum pseudo-saponin.

(c) The above acetylated Trillium erectum mixture is poured into pseudo-saponin is dissolved in 2 liters of glacial acetic acid and added at 30 C. to a stirred solution of 25 g. of chromic anhydride in 1 liter of acetic acid. After the mixture has stood one and a halfv hours at this temperature, the excess chromic anhydride is destroyed by addition of "zinc powder. The solution is filtered from excess zinc and the filtrate is concentrated in vacuo. The residue is dissolved in ether and washed with water and saturated sodium bicarbonate solution. The ethereal solution is evaporated to leave a clear yellow gummy residue weighing about 120 g. This residue consists essentially of the substance representable by the formula,

(d) The above residue is dissolved in 1 /2liters of 90% alcohol and a solution of 350 g. of potassium hydroxide in an equal amount of water is added. The solution is refluxed twenty minutes ether and the ethereal layer washed free of alcohol and acid by repeated washing with water and 5% sodiuin hydroxide solution. Then the ethereal solution is concentrated to leave about 15 g. of an oily residue which is impure A pregnadienol-3-(fi)-one-20. It is best purified by isolating it asthe acetate. To do this, the oily residue is acetylated by boiling with 2 volumes of acetic anhydride for about half an hour.

. Then the acetic anhydride is evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue iscrystallized from methanol to yield '7-10 g. of A -pregnafdllenol-B-(fll-one-iZO acetate of melting point sulfate catalyst containing 3% i (e) Seven grams of the above A -pregnadienol-3-(p) -one-20 acetate is dissolved in about 500 cc. of alcohol and 7 g. of a palladium-barium by weight of palladium is added. After. shaking this mixture in a hydrogen atmosphere at about 30 lbs. pressure for half an hour, the hydrogenation is essentially complete. The solution is filtered and the residue concentrated and set aside to crystallize. Thus there is obtained M-pregnenol-B-(fi) -one- 20 acetate of melting point 149-51 C.

This may be hydrolyzed by refluxing it with 10 times its weight of 5% methanolic potassium hydroxide. The resultant solution is diluted with water and extracted with ether and the ether evaporated to leave the free hydroxy ketone. After recrystallization the A -pregnenol-3-(B) one-20 thus obtained has a melting point oi 188-90 r (1') Two grams or M-prernenol-S-(p) -oneobtained for example as described above is C. with about half its It shows no depression in melting point when mixed with trillin acetate of melting point 199-201" C. as obtained from Trillium erectum. This glucoside is therefore diosgenin-a-glucoside tetraacetate.

On hydrolysis with 2% methanolic potassium hydroxide the above glucoside tetraacetate yields 15 cc. of acetic anhydride are heated in a bomb tube for ten hours at 200 C. The mixture then is distilled move the trillin acetate of melting point 165 C.

(c) To a solution of 4 g. 01' the pseudo-trillin acetate in 200 cc. of acetic acid cooled to 15 C.

with

gives A -pregnadienol-3- (5) point 210212 C.

This may be converted to progesterone, for example, according to the method described in the previous example.

Example 3 (a) A mixture or 5 g. of diossenin and cc. oi acetic anhydride may be recrystallized from has a melting point of 97-10l diosgenln diacetate.

and then C. It is pseudo- Instead of using acetic anhydride in thintep to mteen hours with propionic anhydride, bu-

tyric'anhydride, valeric anhydride or anyothen boxylic acid anhydrides.

(b) To a to 7680 C. the structnre The compound is believed to have CHI 7 on. on,

0 mist A -pregnenediol-3- (,6) -16-one-20 3 butyrate-l6- (o-butyroxy) -iso- Example 4 (a) To a solution of in cc. of

nin may be heated to 200' C. for six solution of 10 g. of pseudo-diosg e nin acid cooled point or 84-86 c; -Th e not pseudo-diosgenin diacetatql point with the latter 0 V [7 cmo--cn,

(tn-on,

' pseudo-diosgenin.

' ing pseudo-tigogenin.

- .following'iormula.

oi about 10 cc. Upon chilling, a crystal crop appears which may be collected and recrystallized from aceticacid and from'ether to give tetra-i hydro-pseudo-diosgenin of .melting point 202- 205 C. Mixed melting point determinations show that it is different from tigogenin and from It can be recovered unchanged "after boiling with alcoholic hydrochloric acid for two hours. This compound differs from; diosgenin in having two additional hydrogens' in the side chain and Example 5 (a) A mixture of g..of sarsasapogenin, 13 g. of bromoacetyl glucose and 5 g. of mercuric acetate in 120 cc. of dry benzene is refluxed for two hours. The solution is evaporated in vacuo and the residue dissolved in ether. The ethereal solution is concentrated to a small volume and chilled. The crystalline material which separates in having the nuclear double bond'at Ai-saturated. The compound is therefore identical with dihydro-pseudo-tigogenin.

The same compound, tetrahydro-pseudodiosgenin, may also be prepared by. hydrogenatv i (b) To a solution of 5 g. of the above tetrahydro-pseudo-diosgenin is added about cc. of acetic anhydride. The mixture is refluxed for about a half hour and then the acetic anhydride is removed under reduced pressure. The residue is the diacetate of tetrahydro-pseudo-diosgenin.

After recrystallization iro'm methanol, this di-- acetate has M. P. 122-124 C. Y

The whole of the above diacetate is dissolved in 200 cc. of glacial acetic acid and a solution of 4 g. chromic anhydride in 20 cc. of 80% acetic acid is run in while keeping the temperature below C. After the mixture has stood at 40 C. for about two hours, water is addedand the mixture extracted with ether. The

ethereal layer is washed free of acetic acid with water and then the ether is removed on a steam -bath.' The residue may becrystallized from dilute methanol and finally from methanol to give the oxidation product of melting point'102- 104 C. This compound isbelieved to have the and it may be designated as allo-pregnanediol-3- dizing pseudo-tigogenin diacetate in a similar manner. j v

(c) A. solution of 500 mgs. ot' the above oxidation product (allo-pregnanediol-3- (fi) -1'6'-one-20 3-acetate 16-(6-acet0xy)-isocaproate) in cc.

of 2% alcoholic potassium hydroxide is refluxed for thirty minutes.

Then water is added and the mixture extracted with ether. The ethereal layer is washed with water and the ether removed on a steam'bath. The residue is crystallized irom dilute methanol and thus yields. MF-allo-pregnenol-3-(fl) -one-20 of melting point 202-204 C. It does not depress melting point when mixed with an authentic sample.

Instead of using alcoholic potassium hydroxide in this hydrolysis, there maybe. used alcoholic bonate or other alkaline or acidic agents. The reaction proceeds well even under mild conditions, e. g., with hot sodium bicarbonate solution.

hydrochloric acid or alcoholic potassium caris collected, triturated with ether andrecrysta'llized from alcohol to give sarsasapogenin-a glucoside tetraacetate of M. P. 227 C.

The abovetetraacetyl glucoside may be hydrolyzed by letting it stand overnight with 2% methanolic potassium hydroxide solution. Thus there is obtained sarsasapogenin-a-glucoside of M; P. 245 C.

(b) Five grams of sarsasapogenin-a-glucoside tetraacetate and 20 cc. of acetic anhydride are heated in 'a bomb tube for eight hours at 200 C. Then the acetic anhydride is removed in vacuo to leave a residue of pseudo-sarsasapogenin-a- 8) -16-one-20 S -acetate 16 (8 acetoxy) -iso- 'caproate.

The same compound may be obtained by oxbglucoside penta-acetate. This substance may be representedby the following structural formula,

I OH: CH. CH:

. g acHrcHrtH-cnrodc K -i I I Q i k/J,

Filter. 7

0 u, HOAc lip-(Lon.

HOAc (BHaOAc Example 6 '.(a)' A mixture of 8 g. oi-sarsasapogenin acetate and 30 cc. of acetic anhydride is heated in a bomb tubeat' 195-200 C. for ten hours. The acetic anhydride is then evaporated in vacuo and the residual syrup hydrolyzed with alcoholic potassium hydroxide. The alkaline solution is' diluted with water and the precipitated solid taken up in ether. The ether is evaporated to a small volume and the white crystals collected, washed with ether, and recrystallized from ethyl acetate to give white needles, M. P. 171-173 .C

This product, which is pseudo-sarsasapogenin,

1 forms a crystalline di-p-nitrobenzoate which may be crystallized from acetone as pale yellow crystals, M. P.. 156.5-159 C. Pseudo-sarsasapogenindiacetate as commonly prepared, for example, by refluxing with acetic anhydride, is an oil which may becrystallized only with difliculty.

(b) Bseudo-sarsasapogenin diacetate is prepared by refluxing 10 g. of pseudo-sarsasapogenin for thirty minutes with 60 cc. of acetic anhydride and then removing the excess acetic anhydride by evaporation. in vacuo. i

(c) To a solution of 10 g. of the above pseudosarsasapogenin diacetate in 200 cc. of glacial acetic acid cooled to C. is added slowly a solution'of 7 g. of chromic anhydride in 30 cc.

, of,80% acetic acid over-a period of forty-five minutes while ,maintaining. the temperature at approximately 28 C. Then the mixtureis diluted with water and extracted with ether. The

ethereal solution is thoroughly washed with water to remove acetic acid. Finally, the solution is carefully washed with sodium bicarbonate solution and again with water. The ether is removed on a steam bath to leave a residue of pregnanediol-3-(fl) -l6-one-20 3-acetate-l6-(6- acetoxy) isocaproate. As usually obtained, it is an oil which may be crystallized only with great difllculty. It may be represented by the following structural formula,

CH3 I I CH: CH; 33

numerous variations in regard to starting materials, conditions of reaction, modes of isolation of the product and other details will be apparentto those skilled in the art after a perusal of this specification.

For example, as naturally occurring glycosidlc derivatives of steroidal sapogenins which may be used in the practice of this invention-there may be mentioned amolonin, sarsasaponin, digitonin, or like steroidal saponins. Also, there may be used partially degraded glycosidic derivatives of these saponins, such as trillarin or trillin. Such partially degraded glycosidic derivatives or saponins are obtained by hydrolyzing th saponin at some of the oligosacharide linkages by means of enzymes or dilute acids or similar reagents. Again, there may be used synthetic glycosidic .derivatives of steroidal sapogenins such as the synthetic galactosldes, glucosides, ribosides, and

other glycosides of sapogenins such as sarsasapogenin, diosgenin, or other steroidal sapogenins containing reactive nuclear hydroxyl groups. Synthetic glycosides suitable for the practice of this invention may also be prepared from sapogenins which have reactive nuclear hydroxyl groups, but whichare not aglyoones of naturally occurring saponins. For example, although neither epi-sarsasapogenins norits glycosides occur in nature, glycosides of epi-sarsasapogenin may be prepared synthetically from sarsasaponin by converting the latter into its aglycone, sarsasapogem'n, and then converting this into epi-sarsasapogenin. The epi-sarsasapogenin may then be treated-to form the glycosid as for example by treatment with bromoacetoglucose.

The conversion of the glycosidic derivative of the steroidal sapogenin into an acylated glycosidic pseudo-sapogenin may be effected by treating the former with an acylating-agentunder conditions more vigorous than those required for mere acylation. This step may be effected, for example, by treatment of th glycosidic derivatives of the sapogenins with a carboxylic anhydride at l75-250 C. We have found that best results are obtained with lower fatty acid anhydrides while maintaining the reaction temperature in the neighborhood of 200 C.- The product thus formed is an acylated glycosidic pseudosapogenin derivative acylated at least at-the exohydroxyl group and in the sugar residues. This product may be converted into the new esters of the present invention according to several ways. 5

The acylated glycosidic pseudo-sapogenin derivatives may be mildly oxidized in attached to ring D with production of an acylated glycosidic derivative of a. steroid having in ring D the structure In this case the remainder of the steroid molecule containing the 'acylated sugar residues remain substantially unaffected during the oxidation and the product may then be hydrolyzed withpro- Theabove hydrolysis acts'both upon the ii-acyloxy-isocaprooxy group attached to C- IG and the acylated sugar residues in the other portions of "the steroid nucleus. Certain rules can be set down with regard to the products formed during this hydrolysis.- The B-acylox'yisocaprooxy group at 0-16 is hydrolytically re-.'

moved with production of asteroid having in.

ring D the structure under conditionsof very mild hydrolysis, as for example by'treatment with dilute acidic or alka- For instance, this group .is reline reagents. moved by warming the steroid with dilute alcoholic hydrochloric acid, dilute sodium carbonate ently, depending on whether the conditions of hydrolysis are alkaline or acidic. Mild alkaline hydrolysis removes only the acyl groups attached to the sugar residue, while leaving the sugar residues still attached to the steroid nucleus. However, acid hydrolysis'removes the sugar residues as well, thereby leaving hydroxyl groups in the steroid nucleus at the position to which the sugar residues were formerly attached. Suitable alkaline reagents for removal of the acyl groups from the sugar residues, while leaving the unacylated sugar residues thus formed still attached to the.

steroid nucleus, includ cold sodium methylate solution, barium hydroxide solution, calcium" hydroxide solution and cold sodium hydroxide solution. The acidic hydrolysis required to remove the sugar residues from the steroid nucleus is best achieved by boiling the substance with the side chain alcoholic hydrochloric acid. acidic reagents such as dilute sulfuric acid, or

of steroidal esters.

However, other other mineral acids may be used instead.

Instead of directly oxidizing the acylated glycosidic pseudo-sapogenin' derivative, it may first be catalytically hydrogenated in the side chain attached to ring D, with production of a glycosidic der ivatiye of an .exo-dihydro-pseudo-sapogenin 'yla'tedjat least at the exo-hydroxyl group and.

*"i'nthe sugar'residue. This catalytic hydrogenatin iS accomplished by shaking the glycosidic vein" an atmosphere of hydrogen in the a catalyst'such as platiriumQRaney efof the metallic oxide catalysts such ppenhromite. Sincethe glycosidic derivajti'ves'are'sol'i'ds, best results are achieved by hydrogehating them in solution using such a'solvent as ac'et simila cid, ethyl alcohol, ethyl acetate -or ganic solvents inert to catalytic hydrounderthe conditions employed.

' *The acylated' glycosldic -exo-dihydro-pseudosapogenin derivatives produced in the above hydrogenation may then be mildly oxidized in the side chain attached to ring D with production of an acylated glycosidic derivative of a steroid having in ring D the structure and the lattertreated as described in the earlier paragraphs."

According to still another alternative procedure the acylated glycosidic pseudo-sapogenin derivatives may be hydrolyzed with alkaline reagents with production of a glycosidic derivative of a pseudo-sapogenin unacylated atleastat the exohydroxyl group and .in the sugar residues. This product may then be mildly oxidized-in the side chain attached to ring D and the oxidation product subjected to hydrolysis with an acidic reagent with production of a steroid having in ring D the structure r and having in the remainderv of the steroid skeleton hydroxyl residue. g The step of oxidation referred to in the above description is best. accomplished under relatively mild. conditions. Wehave found that best resuits are obtained if the pseudo-sapogeninderivatives are oxidized below 50 C. by means of an oxidizing agent of the class consisting of chromic and permanganic acids and their salts. However, other oxidizing agents such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and the like may effectively be employed in this step. Particularly satisfactory groups in place of the sugarv I 7 the steroid skeleton the structural features representable'by the formula.

andcontaining in the remainder of the steroid skeleton only such groups as are unaffected by mild-oxidation. 'I'hesesteroidal compounds have great utility in the preparation of steroidal hormones since they are readily hydrolyzed with I productionof steroidal compounds having in ring D the structure which can in turn be readily converted into hormoneshaving androgenic. progestational, or.

cortical activity. I

A particularly useful group of steroidal compounds falling within the scope of the'present invention are those representable by the foriii/V where Y1 is a member of the class consisting of results are obtained when the oxidation is conducted at 20-35 C. in acetic acid, using ohromic anhydride as the oxidant.

It will be appreciated that the present'invention also comprehends a new and useful class pounds characterized by containing in ring D of These are steroidal com-r and (:0) Y2 is a member of the class consisting of Y1 and and where Xis the acyl radical of a lower fatty acid. These substances are readily derived from the easily available naturally occurring saponins dioscorea-saponin,

such as sarsasapogenin,

limited to these forms,

' apogenin acylated at least n J-o-i-om-o "0 pounds which lycosidic ainolonin and similar naturally .zoccurring steroidal saponins. 1

we have described and illustrated cerh toms of our invention and have set these forth in terms of a particular theory, we wish it to be'understood that our invention is not to be nor is its operabillty in any ay ailected by the ultimate correctness of the particular theory herein'employed.

What we claim as our invention is:

Lflhe process for the preparation of steroidal gompounds which comprises isomerizing and c lating the side chain attached to ring D o! a glycosidic derivative of a steroidal sapogenin by reacting said glycosidic derivative with an acylsting agent under conditions more. vigorous than those required for mere acylation, with produc- 1 on of a glycosldic derivative of a pseudoat the exo-hydroxyl group and the sugar residues, oxidizing saidacylated gly dic pseudo-sapogenin derivative in the side ain attached to ring D at stem! gerature not substantially above 50 C., with reduction of an acylated glycosidic derivative or a steroid having in ring D the structure I CH:

and I iecting said acylated glvcosidic derivative to drolysis with an acidic reagent, with production of a steroid having in ring D the structure Y I OH: o I n i l Y and having, in the remainderuorthe steroid skeleton, hydroxyl groupsin place oi the sugar residues.

p The process for the preparation of steroidal comprises isomerizing and 5 ated at least duction of a steroid having in ring D the struc- CH: t=o

and having, in the remainder of the imam skeleton, hydroxyl groups in place oi the sugarv residues; p 3. The process which comprises subjecting a member oi the class consisting oi glycosidicde- 4.'The process which comprises subjecting a member 01 the class consisting of pseudo-sapogenins acylated at least at the exo-hydroxyl group, and exo-dihydro-pseudo-sapogenins acylat the exo-hydroxyl group, to oxiside chain attached to ring D at not substantially above 50 C.,

dation in the a temperature with production of a steroid having in ring D acglating the side chain attached to ring D o! a lycosidic derivative oi a steroidal sapogenin selected from the class consisting oi sarsasapogenih. chlorogenin and dlosgenin, by reacting said glycosidic derivative with a carboxylic acid anhydride at 175-250 0., with production of a chlorogenin, and pseudo-diosgenin, said glycosidic ps'eudo-sapogenin derivative being acylated at least at the exo-hydroxyl group and in the 5 sugar residues,

oxidizing said acylated glycosidic pseudo-sapogenin derivative in the side chain ttached to ring D, by treating said acylated lycosidic pseudo-sapogenin derivative below 56' C. with an oxidizing agent of the class consisting of chromic and permanganie acids and their derivativeora member or the class consisting of pseudo-sarsasapogenin, pseudoi- I the structure 6. The process which comprises subjecting pseudo-sapogenincompound representable by the formula on. on;

I 1. I /k/\J} I IlOO-=Ai where A, is'a member or the class consisting oi scyl radicals andacylated sugar residues, and A: is an acyl radical, to oxidation in the side substantially above C. the M-double bond, with production oi a salts, with production of an acylated glycosidic derivative of a steroid having in ring D the structure and subjecting said acylated glycosidic derivative to hydrolysis with an acidic agent, with prochain attached to ring D without protection ,0!

representable by the formula,

I CH: CH: CH:

, I v 0 CHI 7 v O-kL-CKs-OKr-JiH-CHr-O-Aa where A: is a member of the consistlngoi at a temperature-not git acyl radicals and acylated sugar residues. and A4 is an acyl radical.

6. The process which comprises oxidizing below 50" 0. a member oithe class consisting of glycosidic erivatives of pseudo-sapcgenins acylated atleast at the exo hydroxy1 group and in the sugar residues and glycosidic derivatives of exo -dihydro-pseudo sapogenins acylated at least at'the exo-hydroxyl group and in the sugar residues, bymeans of an oxidizing agent of the class consisting of chromic and permanganic acids and their salts, with production of an acylated glycosidic derivative of a steriod having in r'ing D the structure D CH1 7. The process which comprises oxidizing below 50 C. a member of the class consisting of pseudo-sapogenins acylated at least at the exohydroxyl group, and exo-dihydro-pseudo-sapogenins acylated at least at the exo-hydoxyl group, by meansoi' an oxidizing agent of the class consisting of chromic and permanganic acids and their salts, with production 01 a steriod having in ring D the structure 7 8'. The process which comprises oxidizing below 50'. C. a pseudo-sapogenin compound representable by the rormul cm (in where A1 is a member of the class consisting oi acyl radicals and acylated sugar residues, and

is an acyl radical, by means of an oxidizing agent of the class consisting of chromic and permanganic acids and their salts, with production of a steriod representable by the formula,

' cm on,

OI CH:

where As is a member of the class consisting of acyl radicals and acylated sugar residues, and

A4 is an acyl radical.

9. The process which comprises hydrolyzing a steriod having in ring D the structure D I O I CH: vO-ik-OHg-Cflg-H-CHg-O-ilofl by treating said steriod with a reagent selected from the class consisting of alkaline agents and acidic agents, with production of a steriod having in ring'l) the structure I CHa- 7 CH3 :r-cO

10. A steroidal compound characterized by containing in ring D of the steriod skeleton the structural features represented by the formula lio o CH CH H- H 1 ff 79 and containing in the remainder of'the steriod skeleton only such groups as are unaflected by mild oxidation.

11. :A steroidal compound represented by one 01' the class consisting of the formulae 7 CH| I CHI cm on,

0 and CHI CH:

where Y1 is a member of the class consisting oi and (-=0); Y: is a member of the class consisting of Y1 and 1 and where X is the acyl radical of a. lower fatty acid.

12. A compound represented by the formula,

. CH: CH: OH; 0

IAT/"T Wi where X is the acyl radical of a lower fatty acid.

13; A compound representedby the formula,

where X is the acyl radical of a lower fatty acid.

14. A -Pregnenediol-3-(p) -16-one-20Y 3-acetate 16- (a-acetoxy) -isocaproate.

15. Pregnanediol 3 (p) 16-one-20 3.-acetate 18-(6-acetoxy.)'-isocaproate.

16'. allo-Pregnanediol-S-(B) -16-one-20 3-acetate 16- (s-acetoxy) -i's0ca/proate-.-

1-7. The process which comprises subjecting a member of the class" consisting of: glycosidic derivatives; of pseudo-sapozenins acylatedat least at the exo-hydroxylgroup and inthe sugarsresiwhere A: is a member of the class consisting of acyl radicals and acylated sugar. residues.

18. The process which comprises subiectingia pseudo-diosgenin diacylate to mildoxidation at]. temperature below 50 0. thereby forming a A'- pregnenediol-S-fi-one-ZO-3-acy1q16-(a acylorry) dues,. glycosidic derivatives 01." exo-dihydroa pseudo-sapogeninsacylated at. least at the exohydroxyl group andlinxthe' sugar residues, .pseudosapogenins acylated at'least at the, exo-hydroxyl group, and exo-dihydro-pseudo-sapogenins. acylated at least at the exo-hydroxyl group to mild oxidation at a temperature below 50 C. thereby producing asteroidihaving in ring D the structure CHI CHI

or I cm o- -crrr-cHPtH-om-omw D and havingin ring A the structure isocaproate compoundfand hydrolyzing the latter p to obtain A"-pregnadienoh3-p one-z0..

19; The process which comprisessubjectins pseudo-diosgenin diacetate tomild'oxidaticnat a temperature below 50 C. thereby forming A- pregnenediol-3-fl-one-20-3-acetate 16--,-,(6-acetoxy) -isocaproate compound and hydrolyzing the latter to obtain A"-pregnadienol-3-p-one-20.

20. The process which comprises hydrolyzinzj anacylated glycosidic derivative of a steroid having in ring D the structure l on: p I o-o-cn -cnroir-cnr'oecvl. I

by treating said acylated 'glycosidic derivative with anacidic agent, with production of a having in ring D'the structure and having, in the remainder of the steroid tieton, hydroxyl groups in place of the sugar-residues.

RUSSEIL EARL MARKER. HARRY MEANS CROOKS, JR. EUGENE LEROY WI'I'I'LE; 

